Cry of Emotion
by Morganabel
Summary: By Kait and Chris. Lola- the product of Tristan and Rory's failed marriage. Atticus- son of Rory and Jess left behind by his father. This is the When She Cries/Emotionless X-over. Somehow, Lola's in Atticus' world, and some craziness ensues.
1. Chapter One

**Title:** Cry of Emotion

**By:** Chris (ChristineCS) and Kait (katem-23)  
**Chapter:** One  
**Rating:** PG-13.

**Disclaimer:** Alas, Kait and I have yet to conquer the deeds to GG. However, Kait does own everyone from _emotionless,_ while I own everyone from _When She Cries._

**Summary:** Lola- the product of Tristan and Rory's failed marriage. Atticus- son of Rory and Jess left behind by his father. This is the When She Cries/Emotionless X-over. Somehow, Lola's in Atticus' world, and some craziness ensues.

**Chris's Note: **Yes, this is confusing.

*

The strange girl with his mother's eyes was still there. Atticus didn't want her there, and he didn't trust her. Who would trust a stranger who claimed to be their mother's child, except seven years in the future and a whole different dimension of being? Just thinking of it was enough to make his head pound. 

His grandmother was just a little more open about her headache, than he was. Lorelai was walking around the kitchen, rubbing her temples with her fingers and muttering. She wasn't exactly being much of a help. While the girl just looked kind of bored. Maybe they were related, in some odd cosmic way, after all.

This girl. This girl that reminded him so much of someone he knew. Someone with the same eyes. Only, she had his mother's eyes so how the eyes could belong to anyone else was…impossible. 

And how could she be his mother's daughter?  Same Rory, different story? This was getting way too weird. The obscurity of it all was getting to be the infuriating part, because instead of actually dealing with this…girl, he was thinking about the fact that she had Dominique's eyes.

Lola officially knew how it felt to be Thalia Haze, with everyone looking at you like you were some sort of freak. Which, she probably was with whole defying the space-time continuum. Christopher Lloyd would be so proud. The boy was staring at her. Still. It was disconcerting. Really. He needed to say something. She would, but then again the weirdness had yet to wear off. 

He had to say something to her. He couldn't just sit here like an idiot. Well, he could, but now Lorelai was beginning to stare and the girl – who looked as much out of place in Stars Hollow as he – was starting to look a tad uncomfortable. Not that she would ever admit it.

He knew girls like her. He'd had girls like her, although upon reflection he realized that having her was probably not an option considering a) she was technically 7 years his junior, and b) they had the same mother. So now that that was out of the question what was left? Friends, or worse – siblings.

Awkwardness at the Gilmore household. Gee, how different things were in this world. Lola had the urge to say something, or worse, the juvenile urge to bite her thumbnail. A disgusting habit she had kicked at the age of eight. No need to regress now. 

This wasn't right. No, something was seriously off. An entire life spent with one family member. Just a mother. No male father figure, no siblings. And then a father appears. As if beckoned. 

And from some other place, dimension, whatever a girl shows up. And she's his sister. Or something of that sort. 

He was going around in circles trying to get this through his head. "Who is your father?" he asked incredulously, his eyes widening. He hadn't been aware he was going to speak.

Lola would have started, if she hadn't had the training she had in matters of staying calm. But his question still surprised her. "Tristan DuGrey." She blinked. This was still weird, she wondered if it would ever stop. 

"Tristan DuGrey?" he sputtered out the words and his eyes widened more then they had been before. "You're related to Dominique?" He internally hit himself, she wouldn't know who Dominique was. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was here now. Although he couldn't help but wonder why she was here, and for how long.

Sure, go and befuddle the poor, alternate universe girl even more. Thanks, big brother. "I'd say whether or not I was if I knew who Dominique was." She looked him up and down. "Who's your father? Jess Mariano?"

"I guess if a sperm donor is what you would consider a father." he paused. "Oh and Dominique is...well...don't worry about her just yet." He sized her up from head to foot, "I'm sure you'd get along just fine though."

Oh, so that meant she was a bitch and a slut. "And I guess I should trust your judgment then, big brother." 

"Are you always this trite, or do I just have that effect on you? You can lay of the sisterly love for now it's really beginning to make me feel nauseous." 

Who the hell did this girl think she was anyway? Whatever it was, Atticus suddenly realized that everything he had ever heard about siblings was true - they suck.

It didn't take much to get under his skin. Pity. But it could still provide a source of amusement while she was stuck here. Wherever here was. 

"Forgive me, but I don't know what to call you when you haven't told me your name." Lola's expression was one of pure innocence. Widened eyes and all.

Innocent. Yeah fucking right. Nice try. She must have thought he was a lot more naive then he was. Although he was sure that his next reply would go over well. 

"Atticus."

Lola snorted, it was unladylike, but hell she was in an alternate reality. "Atticus. Latin, meaning 'From Attica'. Also used in Harper Lee's _To Kill A Mocking Bird_. Or English meaning 'father-like'. Also, associated with all that's good and well." She leaned back in her chair. "Is our mother truly so delusional? Or is it just the after effects of labor?"

"Well upon the occurrence that I had been female and now realizing that I too could have been named 'Lorelai' I am rather thankful that I at least got the nickname from the superior author. Lo-la" 

Let her sit on that. He had great respect for Nabokov, but he liked Dickens just as well. In his mind he knew that they were incomparable in the same way that no two people were easily comparable, he really just wanted to see if he could make this girl show some sort of passion.

Lola looked up at him, "And what would that be? It's certainly not from the Harper Lee novel." Not that it mattered, since there was no such thing as a superior author to Nabokov. 

"Dodger. As in Dickens, one of the most quotable men alive." He rolled his eyes, this would be a more fruitless battle then the ones he had with is mother over Cristiane Amanapour.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that Stars Hollow carried such strong hallucinogens that would ever make Dickens seem like a good author."  Clearly his inferior tastes in books came from his father. Which had to mean Dallie and Aggie got their good taste in books from Paris. Oy, this was headache inducing.

This time he snorted, "You think they came from Stars Hollow?" he looked up and suddenly realized that Lorelai was sitting at the table, although she appeared to be in what could have been a catatonic state. 

"Do you feel so strongly about everything or just books? Because I never said that Dickens was my favorite author, and I never said that I didn't like Nabokov. You made those assumptions yourself, and you better be careful Lola, you know where assuming things gets you."

"To the point where I become you?" She asked before leaning forward and lowering her voice. "About those drugs, are you on them right now? Cause you're seeming a little on the paranoid side, Atty."

He smiled "No, actually I'm going into withdrawal but it has nothing to do with drugs. Well, it does, but in this case I'm talking about leggy blonds." 

Suddenly realizing that his sister was a leggy blond he pushed back his chair, deciding to switch the subject subtly. "But come on sister dear. Do share, because you also seem to look like you're a little on the edgy side as well. Or maybe you're just totally loopy and this is some fantasy world you created in your head, Lo."

"Then I'd be very disappointed that my schizophrenic hallucinations included you and another version of my maternal grandmother." Psychology. Aggie would be proud. And leggy blondes? She could bet there was a story behind that. Just as much as she could bet that she truly did not care. "And what do you want me to share? This little schizophrenic illusion of mine? Or were you going to go all Freud on me and ask about my childhood?" 

"Sorry to disappoint but I don't do Freud. In fact, I'm not normally one to talk. So perhaps you should just go away before I decide to become a curator. As for your childhood, I could care less. I'm sure that our childhoods were about as different as is actually possible for two people born to the same mother." 

This girl was Dominique. Well, excluding the simple fact that he couldn't fuck her when he got frustrated.

All of Atticus's circumlocution was reminding her of Dallie. Either you were asking something or you weren't. "But, dear brother, wherever would I go?"

_To hell_, was his first thought but he shook it off. Perhaps he should welcome her into his arms, be a good big brother. 

Or not. 

"Well, you could try back to wherever the hell you came from. What are you planning on doing? Staying here?"

Lola wondered for half a second if he'd buy the little lost girl broken down into tears routine. No, he would see through that. However. "Well, I guess I could try that Dominique person. I mean you said we were related, right? And that we'd get along." 

He could do nothing but blink at her. He was scared that if he opened his mouth it would fall through the floor. 

"You want to go see Dominique?" Why the hell did he have to mention her anyways? This was going to be fun.

She shrugged. If it was in some way, shape or form going to end up irritating him- she was for it. "Sure. It's not like I have anything more important to do." Except go back to her own reality. But hell, neither of them really seemed like the scientific type.

He sensed that she could tell that the Dominique situation bothered him. But what could he do about it now other than try to convince her that the reality was anything but. Not that that was true. 

And once again, he had confused himself. 

"Fine. Let's go, she lives in Hartford, I'm sure you're familiar with it?" He stood up and waited for a response.

"I know it like the back of my own hand." Lola stood up as well. If he wanted to do this, who was she to stand in the way? She was only along for the amusement.

She was on board? He thought she was just joking around. 

But if she really wanted to do this, he would do it. She was just trying to play with him, and Atticus had never been anyone's toy. 

"You're awful anxious to see this Dominique person, aren't you?" Lola couldn't resist pointing out. He seemed to have the Dallie effect on her, which meant, the urge to annoy them as much as possible.

He glared at her and very maturely, rolled his eyes. With a Luke-like grunt he muttered, "Let's go" and started leaving the kitchen, heading towards the door.

*

"Here we are." Atticus didn't look uncomfortable but he certainly felt it. He also felt Lola's eyes staring at the side of his face as he stood casually outside a very large Hartford residence. And by residence, he meant mansion.

Lola looked at the house. It was her grandparent's house. Lovely. "So glad I got the better deal in my reality."

He snapped out of his thoughts and glared at her, "What's that supposed to mean?" Before she could answer someone yanked open the door, causing the two of them to whip their heads in that direction.

She had meant that she didn't have to live with her grandparents in her reality, but it could also be interpreted that she also got to live in the bigger house. But that's as far as her thinking process went as the door opened. The door opened by her father. Tristan DuGrey. Who wasn't her father in this reality. It was enough to make her step instinctively back and behind Atticus. Wow. She hadn't done that since she was three and she'd hide behind her father's leg when Grandmother came. 

Her face was stark and she had stepped behind him. This was not the girl that he had known before. This was...someone else. In the brief time that he had known Lola DuGrey he had known her to be anything but scared. 

And then the pieces fit together. This was her father, and he only recognized Atticus. He gave him a half-smile, "Is Dominique around?"

Her brother was an ass. This was something Lola already knew, but it was a reminder that she had many other things to throw in his face. Including his jock-half-brother in her reality.

Atticus. Rory's son. Right. The girl with him, however, was one Tristan had never seen before. She was familiar looking in an odd sort of way. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, she almost looked like she could be related to him and Dominique. "Yeah, I'll go get her."

He turned around and smirked, "So does he look younger?" There was absolutely no way that Atticus wasn't going to take every shot at her while she was down. He was here after all, so he knew she must be some kind of bitch.

She snapped out of it, just to glare at Atticus. Really. "Hmm. That solves the mystery of why Uncle Jess would stick around for one offspring and not the other."

If he was a girl that might have given him reason to cry. But he wasn't a girl so instead he deadpanned back, completely unfazed by what she had just said. "So Jess actually stayed around for his kids in your world? Wow, who would have ever guessed." He shrugged, his eyes glancing inside the door for signs of Dominique.

"All three of them." Was it wrong to be smug about someone else's pain? And had that ever stopped her before?

His eyes involuntarily widened. Shit, because she didn't already have enough to feed off of. "I'm sure none of them were half as much trouble as me. I don't completely blame him." He shifted his gaze once again and became acutely aware of someone moving towards the door. Here's where the fun began.

The three of them had their moments. Three versus one, as well, so you know what's going to win out there. And Lola would have continued to rub salt in the wound, had someone else not entered the room.

"Atticus." Dominique always made his name into a statement, he wasn't quite sure how she did that, and perhaps it was some sort of habit she'd picked up from her brother. He watched as her gaze flickered from him, to the blond standing beside him. 

"Bring me a friend?"

Dominique reminded her of Venus. The cat, not the Goddess. Other than that, Lola could feel the sexual currents buzzing through the room. Well, life just got more interesting by the minute. She wondered absently what would happen if she brought Atticus to over to Dallie. He'd probably accuse her of sleeping with Atticus. Eww.

"Not quite." 

  
Dominique looked puzzled, "Then who? A latest conquest, come here to make me jealous Atticus?"

  
He shuddered. Ew. "A common relation, actually." 

Dominique had been tolerant throughout this somewhat strange encounter. But when he said that she actually became more interested. This girl - whoever she was - seemed familiar to her. They had the same eyes, and she seemed to carry the same attitude. She paused, and readjusted a strand of hair "Whatever do you mean?"

Lola resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Spielberg movies moved faster than this conversation. Seriously. "Are you always this annoying evasive, Atty?"

"Shut up Lo." He glared at her.

  
"Dominique, I'd like you to meet your niece, and my half-sister, Lola. And no, before you ask, we're not related so we have not committed any incestuous acts thus far." he eyed her suspiciously, "At least, I haven't." 

He glared back at Lola, "Are you giddy now?"

"Positively." 

This was absolutely ludicrous. Dominique was no one's aunt. Certainly not this girl's considering she was the same age as her. And Tristan hadn't knocked up Rory while they were teenagers - she was too busy letting Jess do that.

"And in what dimension would all of this be true?"

Hers. "You're giving me a headache." This was directed at Atticus. Really. Science and dimensions. There was a reason she never read anything form the Sci-Fi genre.

"And what? You think I get this?" Atticus threw back at Lola. This was positively infuriating. "Dom, can Lola please stay here. You two would get along," he paused and glared at her, "I'm sure." 

So this Lola character was obviously a bitch and a slut. Nice insight there Atticus. "Perhaps. Tristan's here but he's never a bother. Father and Mother are ...away, so I'm sure it wont be a hassle. How long are you here for?" Dominique was slightly confused at what the hell was happening, but anyone who claimed to be related to her and was near her age would peak her interest.

If she were several years younger, she would have cuffed Atticus. Well, someone needed to smack him. And if it weren't so beneath Lola she would have been the first to volunteer. Instead, she focused on Dominique's question. "We're not exactly sure yet."

He gave her an overly enthusiastic smile, "Well, I'll let you get settled in and I'll check on you in the morning. You girls have fun now." the smile dropped and he turned around. 

"Leaving Atticus? I thought you might want to stay. While Lola gets settled I thought we could...play."

Oh, someone gag Lola with a spoon please. "Oh, don't let me cut into your recess, Atty." She needed sleep. Maybe she'd wake up in her world again.

"No time for play time. Maybe later Dominique, like after we find a way to get Lola home." He wasn't serious , although he definitely wasn't laughing. Or even smiling. "And you," he said pointedly to Lola, "Maybe you should ...sleep or something. I'm getting out of here." He turned away "Oh, and Dominique I'd keep your brother far away from her." 

Before either girl could speak he was out the door and they were left standing in the foyer. Dominique shook her head and began walking up the stairs, "He's just like his father."

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Chapter Two

Cry Of Emotion Chapter Two 

By Chris and Kait

*

Sleeping was obviously not the portal to another reality. The fact that Lola had woken up in the same place she had fallen asleep in, was proof of that. Despite the disappointment, she had to admit that she felt some relief. It was a little creepy to think that you could fall asleep in one reality and wake up in another, where everything was familiar, but not the same. 

Lola stepped into the music room and smoothed down her dress, which wasn't very wrinkly to begin with due to that fact, she had opted to sleep in her underwear rather than ruining her only outfit. 

It was the same piano her grandparents owned in her reality. It provided the smallest amount of comfort to her. She slid onto the bench. Her piano instructor had endlessly lectured her on how music transported you to another place.

She still found it to be a load of bullshit, but really what else was there for Lola to do? Her grandparents' library had always been lacking and unoriginal. She tested a few keys. Good, it was in tune. 

Her fingers continued to stroke the keys, forming a tune that was old, familiar and practically timeless. It would figure that her subconscious made her play _that_ song. Despite her disgust regarding the fact that she had unwittingly started playing 'Thunder Road', she continued on, nearly losing herself to the song in the process.

It reminded Lola that she use to be passionate about playing the piano. She use to be passionate about a lot of things.

The acoustics in the music room weren't anything compared to the great halls, but they still allowed most sound in that area to reverberate throughout the entire east side of the house. So naturally, as the piano was rarely played, and even more rarely played well it was a surprise to Dominique to hear elegant, live music coming from down the hall. 

She wandered forward. No one in her household - excluding Tristan - had much of an aptitude for music. And since she also knew that Tristan had a business brunch at 10 o'clock her only estimate could be the mystery girl who Atticus Mariano had dropped off. 

She watched her from the doorway. Lola DuGrey was encompassed in the music and it appeared to Dominique that she would never quit. And then abruptly her blue eyes shot up and locked with her own, her fingers pausing in mid-air.

Being caught playing passionate music on the embarrassment scale was the equivalent to being caught having sex in your parent's beds for Lola. Though she had never understood why you would want to have sex in your parent's bed. That was just gross. But she was the queen of recomposing her self in record time. 

"Hey."

"Piano? Never really acquired a taste for it myself." she eyed the girl who looked like she could be her sister. If they were anything alike she could easily assume that this topic of conversation was bothering her. Wanting to get along she tried to not push it anymore. "Did you figure out how to get home yet?"

Lola wished. "No. Looks like I'll have to converse with Atticus. Again." 

Dominique couldn't help but smile, "Oh Atticus. He certainly is different, isn't he?"

"I guess." He certainly wasn't her- their- mother but she recognized a lot of Uncle Jess in him too. So it wasn't like he was a complete original.

She sighed. "Well, I'm not sure if you know your way around but the kitchen is down the hall and to your far left." she paused momentarily to run her fingers through her hair. "I'm going out. Whether or not your brother calls...knowing Atticus, it's indeterminable."

Like she cared. She was going to be stuck here with or without Atticus's presence. "Lovely." 

Dominique continued to eye the girl. While they looked like they may have similar motivations she could guess that they were very different. Already she could tell that Lola was more vehement than her, often giving off hostility whereas Dominique would laugh at how easy the words could be manipulated. Everything could be manipulated, but it took time for people to realize that. 

"I'd invite you but the people I'm going to be with are absolutely predictable. There really isn't anyone at Chilton who isn't anymore. Here, at least."

"Everyone's predictable, darling," Lola returned. Even she was becoming predictable. It was disconcerting that it was to the point where she didn't care. So maybe everything wasn't predictable, since she would have never even guessed ending up here. But people- people would always be predictable. It was rather boring. She really should take this experience for all its worth.

"It is true." She slowly walked over to an armchair perpendicular to the piano bench. "Care to play me something?" This was not amusement, this was interest. Dominique had never met anyone, short of Atticus who had the same tweaked version of reality playing through their head. And not even Atticus could quite comprehend her actions most of the time.

"Any requests?" Lola had been playing the piano for most of her lifetime. She'd been asked to play everything from Mozart to…well, Springsteen. It didn't matter that this seemed to be a ploy of the girl, of Dominique, to see inside her soul. It was probably too black, too dusty, too dark to really get a clear version of any way. But then again, Aggie had always said that human beings weren't as complex as they liked to think. But Lola chose to ignore a lot of what Augusta Mariano said.

 Dominique's mind searched for which song would be perfect. This was an obvious defensive tactic on the part of Lola, and if Dominique wanted to get closer...it would take careful maneuvers. 

"32 Flavours." she paused, "by Ani DiFranco. Are you able to play it?"

Of course she was able to. Lola doubted that Aurora had ever taken out her Ani DiFranco CD from her stereo. "Would you like me to sing as well? Because I charge extra for that."

Laughing was not an elegant reaction, so Dominique had not allowed herself to function in that way in a long time. A small, barely recognizable laugh escaped her throat. If she didn't have such excellent posture, it would have looked like a convulsion.   
"Sing if you wish, I'm not partial to either way."

She didn't wish. In fact she did very little singing unless her grandmother made her, or a rare duet with Dallie. Whatever. Her fingers began stroking the keys again, forming the song. If she couldn't find a suitable career in the field of history, maybe she could do something musically. No, that'd take up too much of her life. 

Dominique knew little about music, but she knew enough to know when a song deserved silent respect, and Lola's playing definitely deserved that. She watched as her fingers traced the keys, barely touching them, it was magical. 

And not so much in the way that she was a musical prodigy, just in the way that it didn't look like she would be able to play like that. She wasn't the kind of girl who was easily overtaken by things, and as far as she could tell, neither was Lola.

Lola finished, and turned around on the piano bench. "So what do the judges decide?"

"I certainly am." before Dominique was finished with replying the hollow sound of a single person clapping echoed from the other side of the room, causing both girls to look at the person standing in the large doorway.

Her father. Err, Tristan. Right, this was too weird. She may have to murder, or at least torture, Atticus for making her stay here. Never mind she had practically brought upon herself by pushing the Dominique thing. But she'd have to get over her Daddy's-girl issues and play a role. The only question was, what role should she play? There was modest, timid and docile. Then there was egomaniacal. She had a feeling shy and timid would work better. Lola had never been good at out of control anyway. 

"Thank you." Demure smile. Eyes focused on the floor. It was just like being at those meetings of her Grandmother's when she had to play for them. Exactly like that.

Tristan looked puzzled, "Do I know you? Because you look oddly familiar..." 

Dominique clenched her jaw, and leaned back in her chair, something very strange was happening.

Well he had spent nearly eighteen years raising her- in a different reality. So go with the obvious, "I came in with Atticus earlier."

Tristan shook off the strange feeling he was having, obviously he didn't know her from anywhere. "You're staying here?"  
  
Dominique smiled, "Tristan, be nice. Lola is our guest."

For Lord knew how long. Lola stood up. "Who is going to be late meeting Atticus." It was a lie. But she was filled a new, sudden urgency to see her brother. Since there was a strong possibility that he wasn't going to search her out. 

Dominique would have been surprised at Lola's sudden urgency to see her brother if she had not made the same contrivance countless times before. Get out. 

"Are you coming back?"

Depends what Fate had in store for her. "Yes." It was unfortunate thing too. 

Dominique usually left conversations when they became this sterile. "Do you need a ride to Stars Hollow?"

"If it wouldn't be an inconvenience." Lola hated relying on other people. 

As much as Dominique hated having to drive other people around, it would allow her to see Atticus. Not that he didn't infuriate her, but playing with his mind was always entertainment. 

"Let's go." she looked at her brother as she passed by him, reading the look on his face, "I have things to do Tristan. Good-bye."

Lola followed Dominique out. She _followed_ somebody. Life had officially turned into something fictional.

*

If there was anything more infuriating than an alarm clock it was relentless knocking. Loud, relentless knocking. It took Atticus a good three minutes of the incessant noise before he actually stood up, got out of bed and went to answer the door. 

Upon the opening of said door he was confronted by two tall, blond, blue-eyed women. As close as they appeared in body, their difference in opinions towards him were apparent from the looks they carried upon their features. Of course, Atticus wasn't complaining about his sister not liking the look of him half-naked.

"Ever hear of a gym?" Lola asked as she brushed past him and into the entrance.

"Ever hear of Prozac?" he rolled his eyes and let them walk by, into the apartment. 

As Dominique walked by she stroked his stomach appreciatively. She always had to keep it physical. Nothing more than physical.

Lola would rather hang out with any of Dallie's ex-girlfriends than watch her brother and her aunt engage in foreplay. "So our mutual theory didn't work out, by the way."

"Apparently. There really is no need to point out the obvious Lo." he pulled Dominique's hands off his stomach. 

"Plans for today, oh sister dearest?"

She sat down in the nearest chair, and looked up at him. "Well I thought I'd spend the day getting to know my recently acquired half-brother. After all, my therapist is always telling me I should connect with my mother's side of the family more."

"You have a therapist? Why doesn't that surprise me in the least." he turned to Dominique, "You staying?" 

"I could. It's up to Lola I guess."

Atticus was really one to talk. He would need more than twice a year sessions with Dr. Lucas. "I don't care."

Dominique internally rolled her eyes; she should have known that would be the answer. Lola really was starting to prove her point - all people were predictable. 

"Well I should be going then, things to do. And I'm sure you two are eager to share your life experiences. Have a nice afternoon." 

Atticus sighed. Now he was alone with the überbitch, but at least he was rid of the other.

Good, it was better to do this with just Atticus. The last thing Lola needed was someone to think she was crazy on top of this all. "So are you going to get dressed? Because, while I enjoyed the books immensely, I have no desire to be the Cathy to your Chris." 

"Never pegged you as a V.C. Andrews fan, Lo." he turned, "I'll be right back. Bye Dominique." 

As Dominique wasn't usually one for farewell formalities she looked at Lola, raised her eyebrows and pivoted on her heel. After leaving the apartment she sighed, and continued on her way. She always had places to go. And every now and then, that really bothered her.

There was nothing wrong with V.C. Andrews. Left alone, Lola found a magazine on the end table and picked it up. Huh. She had read this one already. In her own reality. This was really going to make her head hurt.

Once Atticus was in his room he shut the door tight behind him. This whole situation just wasn't right. And his thought from last night had just confused him more. He pulled on a black t-shirt that was sitting on his desk and went back out into the living room.

Lola set the magazine aside as she saw Atticus reenter the room. She would have spoken except a ringing sound filled the room. A ringing sound…from her purse. Now that could not be right. She took it out of her purse. Should she answer it?

When he first heard the ringing, he almost bent down, to pick the phone off the coffee table. He then realized that no phone in his house was programmed to sound like a catcall. When he looked up again, Lola was holding a cell phone, and looking mighty freaked out. 

"What the hell?" Now he was pretty sure he looked freaked out. How the hell did that work out?

Answer it. Right. "Hello…" May as well sound normal. "Darling."

"Displace your cell phone?" Came through a very familiar sounding voice.

Oh, this was rich. Really rich. It would figure that he would call while she was stuck in the middle of an alternate reality. "Mariano?"

Atticus' eyes shot up and he stared hard at his sister. 

  
"Who the fuck is on the phone Lola?"

She waved him off as Dallie replied, "Am I interrupting anything?"  
  
Only a defect in the universe. And, yeah, now was really the time for him to be considerate. "Nothing, Dallas."

"Right." He didn't believe her. But then again when had Dallas Mariano ever believed anything she told him. "You had said something about having that article in today."

Leave to Dallie to call her about friggin' Franklin articles while she was here, with her half-brother. Who didn't really exist. She rolled her eyes. "It'll be in."

"Fuck Lola." he said it loud enough that she had to stop ignoring him. Although Atticus doubted that rampant wild animals could grab Lola's attention.

Lola sighed, and put her hand on the receiver. "Will you just calm down for a moment, darling?" 

Dallie cleared his throat. Ugh, you could tell they were both brothers by the way they were annoying her. "Do I want to know where you are?"

"No," she answered simply. "But I gotta go. Bye Cowboy." Lola shut off her cell phone. That was enough weirdness for her.

He was getting impatient, by the time she finally hung up the phone. 

  
He decided to make a stab at being civil, "Lola, dear." okay, so that was a little too civil for Atticus, "Who was on the phone?"

Lola just looked up at him. Oh, this was going to be good. "Your brother."

Something in her tone gave her away, "You've slept with him." he smirked.

Only once. And she supposed she should at least be impressed that he figured out something that not even Aurora had. "How observant of you."

"Must be brother's intuition." he looked around the room awkwardly, and then sat on the couch across from her. "What do you think we should do?"

Not talk about Dallie was a good start. But talking about how to get back to the normal order of things was. It was time to think- What would Michael J. Fox do? "Figure out how we ended up where we are is a good place."  
  


"Personally I'd rather not talk about my escape from the womb, but if you want to talk about how you got here, I'm sure that could be arranged."

Nice. That was real nice. "I don't know how I got here." She paused. "I know how I got from the womb, and I do mean here."

"Do you have idea how to get back?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?"

Okay, so that was a stupid question on his part. But how the hell were they going to get her back when they didn't know how she got here. Or, in Atticus' case, where she came from. He did know one thing, he was interested in what her normal life was like.

Lola should really be more helpful. "Should I start off what I was doing? Because I do remember I was at my-our- mother's."

"That's helpful." he paused, "Your parents don't live together?"

Well that's usually what happened when people got divorced. That wasn't bitter. And he didn't know this. "Tristan and Rory divorced when I was seven."

"Oh." well at least she didn't have the perfect life.  Atticus couldn't hate her for that. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, "Who's Jess married to?"

She wondered if he'd know who this was, "Paris Gellar." 

"You're joking, right? That girl is more paranoid then a senator. Actually, I think she is a senator. I'm not quite up on my school gossip as you can tell."

"Not joking, and yes I know how Paris is." Did she ever know how Paris was. 

"Wow. Are her kids slutty over there too?"

Lola snorted. "No." 

"Just checking, although I guess technically I'm related to them, so I should probably be tame. Although, they obviously fuck around a little bit. I have a hard time believing that someone would 'save themselves' just for you." Was he being harsh? Yes. Was he intentionally being harsh? No. He was actually interested, he just...wasn't used to being...what was the word? Nice.

She would have smacked Dallie if he had saved himself for her. Seriously. Though she wasn't too keen on the fact that he had lost it to a good friend of hers. Whatever. "Okay. There are three of them. Augusta is the oldest. She's very…psychoanalytical. Like everything relates back to it. We allow this because obviously she's the most fucked up of three since Jess wasn't there for most her life, either. Then there's Devon." She was sure that Atticus would love to know he's related to someone like Devon. "He falls in love with pretty much once a week. He's affable, he's sweet, oh, and a jock." Now onto the youngest. "Then there's Dallie. Everybody likes Dallie. He's nice, in the way that's actually sincere. It's very annoying. He also has a bit of rectitude in him, but most people overlook it. They really shouldn't."

"Dallie? That's the one who called you, right?" Who the fuck names their kids after random cities. This whole 'dimension' of Lola's was screwed up, and he knew that as delusional as he could be, there was no way his head was making up this fantasy.

She nodded. "That'd be him. The only reason they're named after cities is because Paris was mighty pissed at Jess during the time of birth. Her rage sort of seeped out onto the birth certificate."

He nodded, "Makes sense. Although I'm sure she couldn't have been much more pissed than Rory was after I was born. " Or maybe depressed was more the word.

"I've never really seen Rory pissed." She'd heard the arguments, but her mother was very careful not to show that frustration outside of the closed walls of the rooms in which her and Tristan fought in. "When did Jess leave?"

He sighed, hoping that Lola would see him opening up to her as a sign of trust, not weakness. "About fifteen minutes after I was delivered." he laughed bitterly, "I never really learned much about him. Luke eventually filled me in after hours of begging. Apparently he ..." Atticus drifted off momentarily. This was not the right time to be emotional, "He held me once. And then he left. Rory knew right away that he was gone for good."

"He hadn't been there for any of the three births in my world," Lola commented, resting her hand in her chin. That was enough of the Jess topic; it'd freak her out if Atticus started crying. More than being in an alternate universe did. "You know Rory wanted my nickname to Emily?" 

He laughed, "I think Lola's perfect. And no, I wasn't going to cry."

"I hope not." Then she grinned. "Yes, very perfect. I've been told numerous times I live up to my name."

"I wouldn't doubt it. So, do you live with Rory?"

"God, no," just the idea of living in Stars Hollows was enough to make her shudder. "I live with Tristan in Hartford."

"I guess that would make sense." This girl was enough to make him laugh. A week ago, had you told him he was related to someone like this, he would have better believed that he could be celibate for the rest of his life.

"It does," see the reasons were completely justified. "They let me choose. I went for all reasons of practicality. Plus the bigger bedroom." 

"Why doesn't that surprise me in the least?" He sighed. "I used to live in Hartford. Too many Chiltonites running around for my taste though. Before I moved there I never knew there could be so many kids with Porches."

"I own a Mercury Mercedes," Lola said out loud. "Porches are too cliché." 

"See Lola, you're becoming predictable, even for me. And Dominique always says that I'm the most clueless person she knows."

"I am predictable," she agreed. "Alas, no one else sees it." Except Dallie. "Do you have anything to eat?"

"I suppose." He stood and pointed the way to the kitchen, allowing her to take the lead. "So you actually eat? Not many girls here do that."

"I don't clog my arteries," she returned. "But I do consume food, and not spit it back out."

"Nice visual." he scanned the shelves, "What exactly do you like?"

"Nothing greasy," Lola thought on it for a moment. "You have any fruit?"

"Yes, probably. It takes me going shopping with Rory, but occasionally there is decent food here. It was easier when I was living by myself."

"Then toss me an apple, Dodger." Like she knew her way around a kitchen.

He shrugged, and then tossed her an apple. Praying all the while that she hadn't inherited Rory's athletic abilities.

Lola caught it gracefully. "Thank you."

He smiled. "Nice to see you aren't too much like your mother." he was sure she would enjoy that comment.

Ass. "What do you do for amusement down in Stars Hollow, Connecticut, by the way?"

"Not much. Like I said, I haven't been here for too long. And a large percentage of the time I have spent in bed." he stopped there. He didn't think his sister really needed to know the various reasons why he spent so much time in bed. Or whose beds they were.

They really didn't need to go there. "What's Luke's like? Or Luke, for that matter?"

"We could go see him if you're interested. I would guess that it's about the same. I don't really think Luke would change much, no matter the dimension. Let's go" He started out of the kitchen when another thought occurred to him, "Is Luke married?"

She shook her head. "No. Never has been, at least not that I know of." 

He could do nothing but laugh. "So no twins then, huh?"

"Uh, no." Atticus really needed to stop the confusion.

"Sorry. I keep forgetting the whole, 'other dimension situation.'" Finally after minutes of denial something else clicked in, he looked at Lola incredulously, "Did you say that I have a jock for a brother?"

Lola laughed. She had been waiting for that. "Oh yeah. Played high school football and everything."

He snorted. "Seriously? God. Some world you live in. Although Tobey - my best friend - use to play too. He gave it up a few years ago though. Not that you care about any of this, right?"

Actually, she was interested. It was weird. "Why'd he give it up?"

"I don't know." he was suddenly puzzled by what should have been a simple answer, "He said that he was sick of being his parents puppet and that he was going to live his life the way he wanted. But...there was more to it than that. He just never really told me."

"Oh," Lola took a bite of her apple. "He probably doesn't have it as bad as my friend Aurora."

"And what are her parents forcing her into?" he was intrigued, for some reason Lola was actually 'sharing' with him.

What weren't they forcing her into? "Okay, so I met Aura in kindergarten. She walks in with a list of pre-approved friends that her father says she may mingle with. But that was only the beginning. Since Aurora is the sole heiress to the Thomas fortune, and since she is not male, there is this stipulation in her inheritance. It states that she must be married by twenty-six, to a husband from her father's list- I've seen the list; it's insane- and have an heir by thirty. I think it was thirty, I don't remember."

"Thank god we don't have crack that strong here or I would definitely want some. That's pretty fucked up. Doesn't she care?"

"Of course she cares, darling," Lola tossed the apple core into the garbage. "But there's nothing she can do about it outside silent rebellion. But the ending's still the same." 

"So she has found no one on the list to be tolerable? At least for five years and a pregnancy? Most of the residents of Hartford only marry for the money anyway."

"Well I know most of them. However, my favorite would be Kenzie Ambrose," Lola sighed. "However she objects because he's twelve years older than us and twice divorced. And the only other one I haven't met is Bartholomew Lennox IV. Which she has, and hates."

"So we're going to Luke's?" he asked her impatiently. He didn't know why he suddenly had the urge to pee, but the bathroom was beckoning him.

"Sure," Lola paused as a thought entered her mind. "Are we walking?"

He nodded, "Yea, sure. Just give me a sec, I need to go to the bathroom."

"Fine." She sighed, she hated walking in heels.

Atticus smiled and went down the hall towards the bathroom. He entered it, closed the door behind his and all went black.

*

Lola tapped her perfectly manicured nails against the table. What could possibly take him so long? Five more seconds she was going to have to go after him. Ten minutes was more than enough time. If only she knew where the bathroom was. It couldn't be too hard to find, the place wasn't much bigger than her walk-in closet. Not that door or that one. So that one? She knocked.

"Atticus?" Damn, was her voice tentative? "Did you suffer an apoplexy or what?" No answer. Great.

She gently pushed the door open. No need to see more than she ever wanted. Or anything that would possibly blind and scar her for life. But there was nothing. Nothing was there. And this was most definitely a bathroom.

Fuck. That could only mean one thing. Things had just gotten weirder. And she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her brother. Because he was screwed.

**To Be Continued…**


	3. Chapter Three

Cry of Emotion Chapter Three 

Atticus stumbled for a moment before landing on something soft. A bed. A girl's bed, no less. And since he was last in a bathroom and could no longer recognize his surroundings, he used his fabulous perceptive abilities to assume that he was now in Lola DuGrey's bedroom. Fantastic. 

Looking around the room he took in the objects surrounding him. A bookcase, stereo, a pile of discarded magazines. Schoolwork lay open and unfinished on a desk and an unfinished file was open on her computer. 

"Lola!" Atticus heard Rory's voice and watched as the door open gradually. Shit.

Rory peaked inside the room. Nothing. "Lo?" Which could only mean one thing. Lola had left without telling her again. "That girl…" She shook her head. One of these days she was going to have a talk with her daughter. She was. But for now she just sighed and left the room. She'd have to wait for Lola to come back before anything would happen.

Atticus resorted back to childlike tactics and hid on the far side of Lola's bed. Rory stood at the door for a few seconds, and he heard her muttering something. After she left, Atticus breathed a sigh of relief. All he needed was to see his un-mother. 

He looked around the room again, his eyes falling on a window. He quietly and expertly opened it and escaped from the bedroom of his half-sister. He was in her world now, and he had no clue what to expect.

He formulated the best plan he could think of in his head - go to see Luke. Of course, in his reality Luke's was a tad more cheerful then the diner he walked into. The difference wasn't massive but the Luke he knew just didn't seem so ...somber. His eyes suddenly flickered to a brunette behind the counter who looked about his age.

There hadn't been a new customer in _Luke's_ for the past forty-five minutes. Dallie had timed it, since the only other customer in there was a traveling businessman that stopped in every five weeks and Kirk. Who was off in the corner, attempting to write a poem- his latest venture into a career. So he had been reading _Finnegan's Wake_ until seven minutes ago when he had finished it. So he was almost excited about the fact some new had entered the diner.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, I'm looking for someone actually." How freaked out was this guy going to get? Lola never really mentioned how mentally stable he was. Maybe this wasn't even who he was looking for.

That should be easy enough to do in Stars Hollow. Dallie was pretty sure there was a town citizen list outside of Ms. Patty's studio. He looked closer at the guy that had just come in. Weird. He almost looked like his father had when he was younger. "Who are you looking for?"

Well, here goes nothing. "Dallas Mariano?"

And things just got weirder. "That'd be me."

"Oh." Okay, so this was his brother. His brother from another dimension. "I need your help with something. I'm a friend of Lola's," he paused, "Lola DuGrey? Can we talk somewhere?" Here's hoping they were still on good terms.

Dallie sighed inwardly, what had Lola gotten herself into this time? "Yeah, sure." It's not like he was needed here. "Uncle Luke, I'm going to go upstairs."  
  


"Go ahead," Luke replied, but his attention was on the newcomer. That kid looked familiar.

Atticus followed him upstairs, this kid looked a little 'upstanding' for his taste. He probably worked at the diner voluntarily. Atticus pretended to ensue warily, unsure of where he was going, but the fact that he knew the way by heart was what actually freaked him out. "So Jess Mariano is your father?"

"Yes." When the reached the top, Dallie stopped. "How do you know Lola?" And did he really want to know.

"You could say that we're related...technically." he paused, "Can we go inside, this is going to take a lot of explaining, and I barely understand it myself."

Dallie was intrigued enough to agree to it. He opened the door to Luke's apartment and stepped inside. "How are you and Lo…" Another though occurred to him. "Were you with Lola before? When I called her?"

"Yea, that was me. One of the only reasons I figured finding you would be the best idea." he glanced around the apartment. Apparently, Luke still lived there. "See, when you called Lola, she was at my apartment. But I'm not from around here." he raked his hands through his hair. "You're never going to believe this."

"She finally figured out how to live on a higher plane of existence?" That was sarcastic. Sarcasm probably wasn't the best way to go with this, but it slipped out nonetheless.

"No, more like slip through dimensions." he laughed but he was entirely serious. "Dimensions where almost everything is the same, but small things make drastic changes." he was hoping that the fact that he was suddenly deadpanning wasn't making this lost on Dallie.

Uh, okay. Dallie had been kidding but… "You might want to start elucidating." 

"Somehow, and I'm not sure how, but Lola showed up in my kitchen this morning. I live in 2021. In an apartment in Stars Hollow. With my mom, " he paused, "Rory Gilmore."

"And how did Lola end up…there?" Was he actually buying this?

"We don't know. It seems the only connection between the two...realities is her cell phone, which she still has on her." This was still way to Star Trek-like for his thinking. Alternate dimensions? He wouldn't believe it if he wasn't living it.

"So if I called her now, on her cell phone she'd confirm this…story?"

"Yes. In fact, that's probably a really good idea." Atticus probably should have thought of that right away, although he wasn't so much in a thinking state of mind.

Dallie picked up the phone off Luke's end table and dialed her cell phone number, though he still kept his eyes on the alleged son of Rory Gilmore.

Shockingly, she answered on the first ring. "Dallie?" Lola didn't wait for an answer; in fact if he didn't know her better he'd say she sounded half-panicked. "Is Atticus there? With you?" 

"Atticus?" This wasn't directed at Lola.

"Yea? Is that her?" his desire to talk to someone who actually had a semblance of idea as to what was going on suddenly peaked as he reached to take the phone from Dallie.

Dallie let Atticus take the phone from him, he wanted to talk to Lola more, but he was sort of going into shock at the moment.

"Lola? What the hell? I walk into the bathroom and then I'm on your bed. Rory walked in too, she would have had a coronary if she had've seen me. Not that she actually would have recognized me. Can I just say that having a parent not recognize you must be a very traumatic experience? I have serious empathy now." he knew he sounded frantic, but truth be told, he was.

"Too little, too late," Lola returned. Karmic payback was a bitch. "And can I just say I'm in your bathroom and still in your bathroom. I would have loved to end up in my bed. Even if it was the one in Stars Hollow." One more thing. "And you went to _Dallie_ first thing?"

"Well it's not like I had much else of a choice, I figured if Dominique could understand it surely so could your friend. I was actually looking for Luke at first, he's a different guy here though."

"You mean he knows words with more than one syllable?" She returned. "And Dallie is far too logically to ever accept anything. Never mind anything that'd come from me."

"So it was a delusive attempt to even try to explain it to him? And I actually meant the fact that my uncle has two kids. With your grandmother."

"Eww." Lola began pacing the length of the small bathroom. "As for the attempt? I don't know. He's never believed in anything I said before. But I can try if you want."

He turned to Dallie, "Do you believe me yet or what? Because if you don't I really need to find someone who will help me out." he glared at the phone, "Who's not in another dimension."

Dallie sighed, "Let me talk to Lola."

With no complaints, Atticus handed over the phone.

"Are you in 2021?"   
  
"Um," Lola smacked her lips. "Yeah."   
  
To believe her or not to believe her? Wasn't that always the question? "Lorelai Emily, this isn't going to be like the time you…"  
  
She interrupted him. "Like I care enough to set up an elaborate joke about alternate realities and half-brothers just to fool you, Dallie." Lola paused. "And you know how sciences makes my head ache."  
  
Dallie had heard her complain enough to know that was the case. "Say I do believe this…"  
  


"Just do, Dallie," Lola sighed heavily. "Look, it's better to accept it rather than analyze it."  
  
Dallie had a feeling that she was right, he looked at Atticus. "Do you want to say anything more to Lo?"

He nodded and took the phone from Dallie, "Hey." he gathered his thoughts. "Okay, we'll talk again in a while, I need you to go back to Dominique's okay? Do your best to explain this whole...thing to her. I have a Black, 2007 Jeep Liberty, it's sitting outside. The keys are on the table next to the door. Any questions?"

Ugh, a Jeep. Like she wanted to be seen driving in that. But Lola guessed that was trivial in this situation. "No. But if you need a ride, which you probably will because the Cowboy there isn't licensed, my Mercury is over at Rory's. And if you stick with him, he knows where the extra keys are in my room."

He was about to make a crack about Dallie knowing lots about her bedroom, but decided against it last minute. The last thing he needed was to piss off someone who had complete control of his life right now. "Okay. So, uh...I guess I'll talk to you later then?"

"You better stay in touch," Lola warned. It was discomforting to know that she had to depend on her brother. Even more, now that he was in her reality. Lucky bastard. Literally. 

"Worried I'll abandon you Lo?"

Actually, yes. "Maybe." Ugh. The words just had to slip out, didn't they? 

"Don't worry, I'm not Jess. I'll talk to you later tonight." He hung up the phone casually, and prayed that Dallie wouldn't put together the fact that they were brothers. Maybe his brother wasn't as insightful as his sister?

Dallie didn't want to know the answer to the question that had popped into his mind during Atticus and Lola's conversation, but he asked anyway. "In this…reality of yours, who's your father?"

Or maybe he was. Shit. He couldn't lie, could he? No. He really needed to stop conversing with his head. "Uh. Well,..." his eyes traveled around the room, finally landing on Dallie's. "Jess Mariano." There, he could draw his own conclusions.

Oh. That would make sense. Since Rory and Jess had dated in high school. "And suddenly I have the feeling you'd be better off with Aggie." 

Atticus was momentarily confused before he realized that everyone in this reality must have a nickname. "Augusta? The soon-to-be psychiatrist?"

Lola had obviously done a lot of talking. "Lo mention her?"

"Yep. We were talking about you guys...You, Augusta, Devon, Jess and Paris, Rory and Tristan. It just all seems so...different. I guess you wouldn't understand."

"I'm starting to achieve the confusion that both of you must feel," Dallie began. "And I shudder to think what Lola must have told you."

"I filled in a few blanks myself." his voice was mocking, "Most of it was semi-decent I suppose. For Lola, anyhow."

"She has the tendency to…um, over dramatize." 

"Doesn't surprise me." he laughed, maybe he could get along with this guy. "So, um, I'm probably going to need a place to stay."

"We have a guest room," Dallie offered. "It's a little on the feminine side, since pretty much the only person that ever stayed over in it was Lola when she was younger, but if you hide away the frills it's decent. Devon's not home, but Aggie's on a break from college. You can tell her or not, but if you have issues being psychoanalyzed and having every move you make recorded into a notebook, I'd steer clear of her."

"And how are you planning on explaining my presence to her?" Atticus asked. Someone psychoanalytical? He hadn't been around many like that in his life. There was the one 'doctor' he'd seen when he was 14. Didn't take much to scare the shit out of him though. "Or anyone, for that matter?"

That was a good question. "Actually, Mom's in Washington, and Dad's in California. So there's not a lot of explaining to do for two weeks." He sighed. "We could just tell Aggie."

'Dad'. He called Jess 'dad'. How could a word so simple sting so badly? "That would probably make the most sense." he said, dazed.

"I'm not needed here anymore." Unless everyone in Stars Hollow suddenly desired a hamburger at this exact moment. "So if you want to head out now…"

"Yea, let's get going. Maybe Augusta will have some intelligent insight for us."

Dallie resisted the urge to snort. "So Lola say we can use her car?"

"Yea, she said you'd know where the keys were?" Why did this entire situation have an ominous feel to it? Could it be because he wouldn't be getting home for a long time?

"They're in her desk drawer," Dallie answered. He had no idea why he had that information. It was just accepted that he did. "And you must be right up there with Tristan on her favorite relatives list."

"What can I say? I doubt many people can actually keep up with her, so maybe she was impressed by me." he gave an over-enthusiastic smile. "Hmm, care to share, oh brother of mine, why exactly you know where Lola keeps her car keys?"

"I would if I knew," Dallie answered while he opened the door to the apartment back up and started down the stairs. "So what exactly did Lola share with you about her life?"

"Well, she didn't share tons. She told me about people, close friends mainly. I drew a few conclusions of my own about some of her relationships." he nudged Dallie and smiled. "Her parents, her life. We didn't get too into it though, we were on our way out when..." When I fell through a portal to a different reality? Yeah. That sounded correct.

And here he had been hoping she'd forgotten about that night. Apparently not enough not to share with her newfound brother. "Well if you have any questions…I guess I'm your tour guide through this reality."

"Yay for that. So what exactly should I know about Hartford in 2028?"

Dallie tried to remember what 2021 one was like. Except he had been 10. And not very aware. "I'm sure the city its self is not very different from 2021 in your reality. The people are probably people seven years younger than you in your reality. Except our immediate circle, apparently. Do you go to Chilton?" 

"Yeah. This is actually the first year that I'll be attending all year actually. Provided that I get home before June. Hey, is Taylor dead yet? Because he should be."

"No, but the only person vying for the position of town busybody is Kirk," Dallie replied. "So I think he's staying alive until he can find someone more suitable."

Atticus laughed, but they had reached the bottom of the stairs and Luke was glaring at him like he was from another planet, and since that wasn't such a far off estimate, the laughing soon ceased.

Right. This had to be weird and awkward for Atticus. "Uncle Luke, I'm going to head home now."  
  


"Who's he?" That was Uncle Luke, always abrupt, and direct.

"He's…" Dallie was a faster thinker than this. "A friend from school. We have to work on a project."  
  
Luke didn't look like he believed him, but he nodded anyway. "All right. Are you coming in tomorrow?"  
  


Not if he was still entangled in this mess. "I think Aggie is."

"Do you need any food to bring back?" 

Dallie shook his head, "No, I think she's ordering pizza or something delivery."

"Bye then." But he still looked suspiciously at Atticus. 

Atticus couldn't help but feel awkward under the gaze of his doubtful uncle. But how could he believe that he was anything more than just one of Dallie's friends from school? Ignoring that fact that Atticus looked identical to Dallie's father.

Once they were out of the diner Atticus ran his fingers through his hair, intending on messing it up. If he was going to see Rory, he might as well look presentable.

*

Atticus stood beside Dallie on some random porch, which he was to assume was Rory's Stars Hollow home. Thank god he got to help out with the picking of living space, because living here would have absolutely nauseated him. Now he knew why Lola hated most of Stars Hollow, it's because she had to stay in a house that should go with a white picket fence. And that was just disgusting. 

Dallie had knocked a few moments before, and Atticus had braced himself for Rory. When the door opened though, he realized maybe bracing didn't always cut it.

"Dallie, hey," Rory greeted him; her eyes went over to Atticus. And she blinked. "Lola's not here. She's…somewhere." 

He wasn't even going to enter into the complexities of Rory and Lola's relationship. "I know. She's back in Hartford. But she asked Atticus and I to pick up her Franklin article. She said she left it on a computer disk in her room."

Atticus…it was a nice name. Rory liked it, maybe if Lola had been a boy… Then the rest of what Dallie had said entered into her head and she scowled. Then recomposed her self. It really wasn't Dallie's fault.   
  
She stepped back to allow them in, "You know the way." 

"Thanks," Dallie told her as he walked through the doorway.

He timidly followed Dallie through his mother's house as he watched her eye him oddly. He entered a familiar room and for once Atticus was happy to see something he recognized as being the same. Of course, he'd never seen this room in his reality, so it probably shouldn't have been much of a comfort.

"We should get going, I have a feeling the sooner we get to Hartford, the less uncomfortable I'll be." It was true. Being in his mother's...Lola's mom's house was discontenting. He just wanted to be somewhere where he didn't recognize the people.

Dallie could believe that, he opened up Lola's desk drawer and took out her keys. "There we go," he handed them to Atticus. "Just need…" He grabbed some papers off of Lola's desk. "A fake article." 

"Actually," Atticus reached over to her mouse and hit 'print', "Why don't we take the real thing?" he said grinning. Lola would kill him to know that he'd touched her computer, but hey, they were in different realities, how much harm could she do?

"Because usually the real thing isn't done until three days after the deadline." But what harm could it do?

Atticus pulled it out of the printer and glanced over. "Looks pretty done to me. Wow, quite the journalistic vixen, isn't she?" he flipped the page and then looked up, "Did you say we could leave?"

  
He should have figured Lola would deliberately keep articles from him. "Yes. Yes, I did."

"Then shall we?" he pointed to the door, "And can we leave with as little Rory-interaction as possible? You wouldn't believe how strange it is to have your own mother not claim you as her own." he feigned hurt.

Dallie would be the first one to admit that he knew nothing about that. "No problem. She's probably in her office anyway." 

"Good." Atticus headed towards the door, keys in hand and proceeded through the house without an interruption.

*

Augusta Mariano had heard a lot of fucked up things in her life. She was spending her life studying Freud, after all. But this…this had to take the cake. Her sane, rational little brother had come undone. It had to be Lola DuGrey's fault. She had seriously underestimated her friend's ability to drive men- quite literally, apparently- insane. 

"I know a clinic that can help." She paused. "Both of you." 

"Look at me." Atticus said, facing his sister front on. "Tell me that I'm not Jess' son." he said heatedly, "By blood, anyhow. Look, choose to believe me or not, but if you help me, I'll be one hell of a case study."

Aggie glared at her brother. He had to have let out one thing she couldn't refuse. "Yes, you would be." She reluctantly looked at him closer. He did look a hell of a lot like her father. And if Dallie believed him… "I'll at least pretend that I believe." 

Well, at least pretending was a step in the right direction. "So, do you think you can help? At all?" It really was too bad he had to be related to all these women.

"Probably more than Lola or Dallie," She gave an apologetic shrug to her younger brother. "I at least understand science beyond dissection." Actually Lola probably didn't understand up to dissection. Cutting into a once live animal was too gross for her. 

"What about one of your text books?" Dallie asked. Psych books went into every part of the human brain…

"There was one about the human brain and its capabilities for the paranormal. Phenomenon and all that," Aggie offered. "But it's a little on the complex and confusing side." But what really wasn't now?

"Well, I doubt that this is actually just a part of our psyche, I mean, Lola's definitely where I'm from and I doubt I could just create this all up in my mind. We're in different planes. Both exist and they're only connected through...us. Okay, this is weird."

Not from the human psyche…Augusta was offended. No such thing existed. "It's going to be a little hard to find text books on alternate realities. Unless you want to rewatch episodes of Buffy." 

"Like the one where she woke up in the insane asylum in season 6?" Tobey really did push his love of ancient pop-culture on him way too much.

"I was thinking more of the one where Anya was originally introduced. Where she created that alternate universe for Cordelia where Buffy had never come to Sunnydale."   
  


"You watch Buffy?" Dallie asked her.   
  
Augusta watched everything. "Did you not hear the part about the insane asylum?"

"Oh yeah, and they were forced to battle off the vampires because there was no Slayer to do it for them? The tiniest of differences..." he trailed off. The smallest of differences, changed things so dramatically. This was the biggest example of it Atticus could even imagine.

Just the tiniest difference and she wouldn't have existed. Or Devon, or Dallie or Lola. How…overwhelming. "So were you serious about the couch time?"

"Yeah, I guess. I'll warn you though, my first and last therapist nearly killed himself after spending a two-hour session with me." he raised his eyebrows, "Guess my reality's the fucked up one, huh?"

"When I went to see a therapist, once, he wasn't too happy with me either. Some people just can't take being psychoanalyzed." She was one of them. But that was irrelevant right now. "And every reality's a fucked one. I'll go get my notebook."

Dallie watched his sister go before turning back to Atticus. "That was pretty amazing. You went straight to something she couldn't refuse."

"Well, I'm good at knowing how to please women." he smirked, "Even if they are related to me. Takes practice though." Why did Dallie seem so naive to him?  
  


Right. He was pretty sure that Atticus wouldn't want him around for this, and Augusta would call it unprofessional. "I'm going to be upstairs if you need anything."

"Okay, thanks." Now all Atticus had to worry about was telling his inner-most secrets to a stranger who he happened to be of close relation to? He was supposed to tell her that if that one night Lorelai had decided to leave the house that she wouldn't exist? That in his reality her father was a complete and utter asshole? Of course. Atticus never went back on a promise. He just hoped she was up for it.

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Chapter Four

Cry of Emotion Chapter Four 

*

            This car, Jeep actually, was crap. It was worse than crap, except Lola couldn't really think of anything purely low right now. Or ever. Because it was just too icky to imagine. Really. Not to mention the moment she got into the Jeep, her ears were assaulted with the awful noise that audiophiles liked to label as "punk". And she couldn't figure out how to shut the damn thing off. The button that said power was her first guess, but no the music was still playing. Damn it all to friggin hell, why couldn't her brother have good taste in music? Newly discovered button! Maybe, just maybe this would work. And it probably would have too had she not be jarred back in her seat. Ah, fuck.  
  
            "Shit." So this is how Aurora felt every time she was in a car? Or at least that was assumed, since her friend was the Queen of Car Crashes. 

            Shit. Tyler was screwed. Firstly, this wasn't her car. Secondly, well, secondly didn't really matter because once her dad found out that she banged up his Beamer she wouldn't have much to think about. She checked the rear view mirror, it was a blonde.

            Why the hell didn't that surprise her? Every time there was a car accident involving Chilton students, there was a blonde at the scene. She checked the rear view mirror again. Fuck, was that Dominique? She took a closer look. No, it just looked like Dominique. She got out of the BMW as the other girl stepped out of the...Jeep? Girls like that didn't drive Jeeps in Hartford.

            Lola wasn't quite sure what made her screwed more- that she wasn't driving her car, but rather Atticus's and he was going to kill her, or that she just got into a car accident where her driver's license that hadn't been issued for a few more years. Not to mention the fact that she was driving a Jeep for Christ's sake. That's what came out of driving a Jeep. And to listening to punk. When she stepped out of the car, she teetered. Teetered. That was _so_ ungraceful. Great. Next thing you knew she was going to break a heel. What would she be left with then- a cell phone that could receive calls from another dimension? Like that would do any good for footwear. The other driver, a dark haired girl around her age, looked pissed and judgmental. Great, just what she needed on her hands right now: another Thalia Haze. 

            The first step to car accidents - assess the damage. If Tyler were to go talk to the wobbling girl she would most likely rip into her for a good twenty minutes, and she wasn't in the mood to waste time. Of course she had to be wearing sweats right now, give the other girl as much of a chance to do the towering, beautiful blond thing. She walked around to the back of the car; thankfully, there was nothing more then a few scratches on the rear bumper. She let out an audible sigh of relief. 

            Her brow furrowed as she looked back at the Jeep. It was old, and it was a Jeep. It was also black. Tyler thought hard about exactly what Atticus' car looked like. She turned to the blond, "Is that a 2007?"

            Is that what Atticus had said? Damn, that _was _old. And what did the girl care? Lola really shouldn't be complaining since they weren't talking about the accident. That was a good thing. "It's not my car." Oh wow, did Lola DuGrey just tell a truth? "But I believe it is a 2007." Not that it was important to really, anything. But whatever.

            She glared at her. But if it wasn't her car then perhaps they could come to a not-tell-anyone kind of agreement, it was worth a shot. "It's not your car." it was a statement, not a question. Tyler hated thinking out loud. "This isn't my car either." she looked up at the girl. "You didn't do much damage, but what the hell were you thinking?" She looked at the blond oddly as the fact that Less than Jake was blaring out of the car speakers.

            That she hated this damn car. That she was going to murder Atticus Mariano if she ever met up with him in person again. "That I can't turn off the car stereo." Lola hated relying on other people, but it was her best shot at getting some peace and quiet when she started driving it again.

            Tyler nearly laughed out loud; fortunately, she stopped herself in time to not be rude. So far, the girl had done nothing to offend her, so why should she do the opposite? "Well, in my friend's car, which is exactly like this, there's a button right under the one that says 'power'. I can try to find it for you..." she looked at the girl expectantly. This girl looked a little confused by this place.

            Lola shrugged, "By all means try." Whatever shut that noise off.   
  


            Tyler stepped around the girl and leaned into the Jeep. As predicted, there lay the button. She pressed it and the music stopped. She smiled, content with herself until she saw a familiar looking sweater in the backseat. Why was some girl she'd never seen before driving her ex-boyfriend's car. She knew he fooled around with a lot of girls, but surely he never actually let them use his car.

            "Thank you," there was a phrase Lola rarely heard coming out of her mouth. "Next time I'll ask Atty for a manual." This part was more muttered. She almost wished he'd call. At least to say that 'hey- the portal's so and so, hop in'. It'd be nice.

            "Atty?" Atty? For the love of god, Atty? "You mean Dodger? As in Mariano?" Who the hell was this girl?

            Dodger? Was that the lame ass nickname Atticus had said he had? Lola believed it was. "You know him?" Well, wasn't this interesting? Atticus hadn't mentioned anything about a brunette. Well, then again, Atticus hadn't mentioned much of anything at all.

            Okay, so obviously this girl didn't go to Chilton. "Yes." So who was she? Tyler was getting sick of asking this question, "Who are you anyway?" she knew that it sounded lippy, but it wasn't like she owed this girl any favors, she did just rear-end her father's car after all.

            "Lola…" Saying the next part was going to kill her since she obviously couldn't say it was DuGrey. Too many questions, too little reasonable answers. "Gilmore." It was true. Except there was a hyphen and a DuGrey after it. And she wasn't sure how well the girl was associated with Atticus, so it was better to sell herself off as a distant relation. 

            "Gilmore?" she looked at her skeptically, "Um, I didn't think Dodger had any..." she looked Lola up and down, there was no Gilmore blood apparent in that girl. "Cousins?" Surely he didn't have any relatives close enough that would come to visit. Tyler knew that his mother was an only child, as was his grandmother. And to say that Atticus was a hospitable person...would be an extension of the truth.

            Lola was almost tempted to say 'fifth', just to piss the girl off. But that would imply something that would even make her shudder. "Distant." What? Should she have gone for something less question asking? Lola Danes? Lola Mariano? 

            Tyler simply raised her eyebrows and looked at the girl. She was lying. But what could she do? "So, now that you're done conflicting injuries to my car I guess we can move on with our lives?" she continued staring. There was something odd about Lola Gilmore.

            "Yes we can," Lola was inwardly relieved. Now all she had to do is tell Atticus to take out a few hundred dollars from her bank account so he could fix that front head light next time he called. 

            Tyler turned to walk away, "I'd be really careful with that car. I'm pretty sure you're the only girl he's ever let drive it." she smiled. "Have a pleasant day, Lola."

            "You too," Lola rolled her eyes. Whatever. Now onto Dominique's, so she could explain how she lost Atticus to another dimension. That was going to be one lovely conversation.

*

            Dominique was summoned from her room and was told that she had a visitor waiting in the foyer. She closed her book and upon assuming that it was Lola DuGrey, checked the mirror beside her door. Girls never made Dominique worried. Lola however, she was different. Perhaps it was the same competition that she often found between her and Tristan. Maybe not. At any rate, Dominique was sure she wouldn't be around long enough to take any real attention away from her.

            Lola had the urge to rock on her heels as she waited for Dominique to appear in the foyer. However not even she was graceful enough to accomplish such a task in three inch heels. Plus it would never do for Dominique to see her in such a maladroit state. Not that she cared, it was just…an image. She had an image to uphold and around girls like Dominique, and herself, it was important that you kept it. Now that she had rationalized herself to that point, she wondered how attached Atticus was to his car. Hopefully not too much.

          She stood on top of the stairs. Lola was standing in the foyer, waiting. Luckily, her brother had places to be once again, although that never completely stopped him from showing up in the most awkward of times. Like the time he walked in on her and...well, names didn't really matter. Sex was really just a game when it came down to it. At least, that's what she had always told herself. So who was she to doubt her own personal message? It was right. That was just the way it was. "You're back." it was stating the obvious but she really had no other idea of how to greet this girl. Perhaps from this visit, she would learn a little more than the simple fact that she was apparently her niece.

            "So I am," that was stating the obvious. Now how did one go about telling someone that someone had fallen through dimensions? "Atticus is kind of gone." That was a start.

            "Gone?" Well. Huh. Dominique had been speechless before but never...thoughtless? Right. "We should sit." she walked to the bottom of the stairs, still trying to grasp onto a train of thought.

            Lola didn't really need to sit. It wasn't all that shocking to her. Nothing really was at this point. "But not exactly on the disappeared side." 

            "Well what side exactly is he gone to then?" Ugh. The last thing she needed was another bitchy DuGrey on her hands. "Surely he hasn't ran? Although apparently that's expected of Marianos."

            She was half tempted to jump to their defense. Weird. Especially since what she said was true. "No he hasn't ran, I've talked to him. But he kind of went to where I came from." Not kind of. He was where she came from. 

            "And that would be where?" She was getting impatient, she knew something strange was going on, she wanted to know what it was. Funny that even in three-inch heels she wasn't as tall as Lola. Of course, the other girl donned a pair of her own.

            "Hartford," Lola paused. Must get this out. No matter how ridiculous it sounded if you weren't living it. "In 2028. It's like this alternate reality."

            Right. Okay. She looked puzzled, "How did he get there?" then she doubled back, "You're from an alternate reality?"

            Oh, so now she was a freak. "We have no clue. And yes. Don't ask, because I can't really explain how this works."

            "Okay..." it was a drawn-out reply, and she mulled thoughts over as she did so. "So I guess I should just skip the questioning and ask you if you're hungry?" Dominique wasn't one for things of the science fiction variety.

            "No, Atticus fed me before he…left." An apple was all she needed. All the…worrying, was that what she was doing?…was ruining her appetite.

            She started to walk into the living room. It was painful to stand on the uncomfortable floor of the front foyer. "So..." Dominique was terrible at prying. Well, no. She was terrible at very few things actually, she just hated prying. And if she hated doing something, she rarely practiced it. She sat down on a rather large couch. "How is it a different reality exactly? I mean, what's different about it?"

            Lola followed her. She was getting really tired of doing that. "Well you don't exist, for one. And neither does Atticus. Instead of Rory and Jess staying together long enough for that lovely conception, they broke up. Jess dated Paris Gellar, and later impregnated her during the last year of college. Rory met up with Tristan in college and they fell in love. Got married. Had a kid. Resented each other. Got divorced. A real modern day fairytale. And I exist in that one, whereas I don't in this one."

            "Aw, I don't exist? How sad." She wasn't really all that sad. As much as it appeared to outsiders that she believed that the world revolved around her, that was merely a façade. "Strange. One small event...big consequences." she tilted her head, "You sound a little bitter about your parents, tell me, how is my brother at being a father?" she leaned back, this could be interesting.

            Lola hadn't really thought about it before. It was just accepted that she loved her father. She hadn't thought of how he was as a parent since she had to stand before a judge for her custody hearing. "He's fine. Good as any. He goes away sometimes for business, but we keep in touch. And when he's home, we have dinner together." She shrugged. "He's involved."

            Well, that was nice to hear. Dominique guessed it made sense; he was after all, her most involved guardian. "That's good. He's always had responsibility problems so I guess you were good for him." This really was too much for her to get a serious grip on. If she even believed it at all. "And there's no Atticus huh? I hope there's some bothersome guy to keep you in line over there." she laughed. Every girl needed one guy, no matter what the reason.

            "Atticus's brother, actually." Well Dallie tried at least. He rarely ever succeeded. If ever.

            "God. Hopefully he isn't much like Atticus..." she thought for a moment, "Don't listen to him when he tells you to call him Dodger. Please?" She smiled devilishly.

            "I haven't. Actually I've been calling him 'Atty'," He loved that. She could tell. "But I didn't believe people actually called him Dodger until the brunette did."

            "The brunette?" Dominique thought hard, "What brunette?"

            "The one who's car I hit with Atticus's," Lola thought about it. She hadn't gotten her name. "She never told me her name though."

            "You crashed his car?" she laughed internally, that was priceless. "Was she about 5'6"? Long brown hair?" she rolled her eyes, "Attitudy?"

            That would be the one. "Yes. She said it wasn't her car that she was driving either. It was BMW. And she knew how to turn off Atticus's stereo."

            Of course. Because everyone knew, well, everyone that knew anything about Atticus knew, that only one girl had ever been 'honoured' enough to drive with him in his car. From Hartford anyway, perhaps there were others. Knowing him there probably were. "Tyler. Tyler Hunter." she smiled knowingly, "Lucky you. That girl's insufferable."

            "I got that vibe from her," Lola agreed. "Don't tell me Atticus had the bad taste to date her?"

            "Hm, date." she cringed. "Well, they did date. I believe they were even official...for about a week." she smirked. "Atticus doesn't have good taste when it comes to much of anything. It's surprising he's the person he is though. Of course, I don't let many onto my real opinion of him." she looked pointedly at Lola. "He's got...commitment problems though. Lots of little complexes running through that boy."

            "It's heredity. All of it. Complexes, bad taste," Lola stretched out her arms. "Horrible hair style. All of it." 

"Oh, you mean you don't like the hair?" Dominique broke into a grin, she never felt this comfortable around anyone. She was actually letting her guard down, "Just because I've seen wild animals that are neater..."

Lola laughed and immediately covered her mouth. "Someone seriously needs to tell him that if he's going to spend that much time on his hair, that he should make it look better not worse."

"I couldn't agree more." She stared at Lola, thoughts of Atticus mesmerizing her mind. Her eyes cast a faint happiness, not often seen on the features of Dominique. Whether the cause was from being with someone who she could actually be herself around, or the boy running through her mind, there was suddenly something different about Dominique DuGrey.

It would be mean to comment on that look to Dominique's face when Atticus was mentioned. Lola couldn't help but hope she didn't get the same love stricken look when she was talking about Dallie. Not that there was any reason for her to. "But other than that, he's…good." Not the best word to use. "I don't want to say 'nice', because that's not true. But there's something."

She nodded. "I don't know what it is about him...girls turn stupid around him. It's like he has some sort of power over them." she smiled and looked away, "most of them. You'd think that with Rory as his mother he wouldn't be the way he is...I don't think anyone expected him to turn out like Jess. Even if he was around." It was funny that now that she was trying not to hide from a new-found ally the first thing she did was pretend that she wasn't part of Atticus' following. And in a way, she believed herself; he was part of her following. Not the other way around. It was funny how when you told yourself things like that you began to believe them after a while.

"Well no one expected me to turn out like Tristan. I guess that makes Gilmore a recessive gene," Lola bit her lip. "It's the Mariano in him. Everyone follows the enigmatic."

Must have been a little Gilmore in both, considering that Lola just used one of his all-time favorite words. It was suddenly stupid that Dominique was remembering all these things about him. She was losing focus. And losing focus would get her nowhere. "Must be it. Perhaps that's why you have such a following yourself Lola. I'm sure there's been more than one guy." she smiled, "I know your part." Yes, she did. She played it well herself, actually. Everyone could try it; few could pull it off correctly. And from what she had seen, she was sure that Lola did a fine job.

There had definitely more than one guy. Ever since she was fourteen- or maybe it was thirteen, and she had she on the lap of an eleventh grader's lap at a party that she shouldn't have been at in the first place. But she was rich and had quickly discovered the appeal she held to the male gender. With the help of strawberry flavored vodka, and her own pheromones, she had gotten a little power hungry and ended up on a bed, straddling a seventeen year old whose name she had just learned five minutes earlier. "However right now it includes figuring out how to switch dimensions with my deranged brother." She looked over at Dominique. "Have any ideas where to start?"

"Well, I'm no good at science. At all." she looked at Lola, "But I might know someone who is. I guess it's worth a shot."

At this point anything was worth a shot. "You do the driving, and I'll do the explaining."

Well, it wasn't much of a plan, but at least they were making progress. And in Dominique's mind, progress was better then nothing. She stood up and grabbed her keys off the coffee table. "After you."


	5. Chapter Five

Cry of Emotion Chapter Five 

*

"So right after I was born he took off. Rory said that he held me in his arms and looked down at me, then handed me back to her and said he'd be right back. He never came back. I guess that's to be expected, I mean he was 18 and scared. Who could blame him right? Just because I hated him for the first 17 years of my life doesn't mean that I was justified in that hate. Was I?" This was strange. Spilling your guts to your sister who you had never met before. He had never told anyone - save Dominique - this much about how he felt.

 "You're always justified in your feelings. Right or wrong." And it's not like she hadn't spent the past two decades of her life wavering between hatred and adoration for her father. If he wasn't justified, than neither was she.

 "Okay. You want me to keep going?" This felt strange, but not in the same way that it had before. It felt more like, weight lifting off of him. He actually wanted to continue.

He obviously didn't know her well enough yet. "Yes." Actually it should have been, 'if you want to' but she didn't have her degree yet.

"I'll leave out the boring details of be age zero to ...I don't know. When I was nine Rory moved us to New York City for work. It was a rough neighborhood, people died. It's a different way of life out there...when I was twelve I..." He hadn't shared this with Dominique. He hadn't shared it with anyone. "I lost my virginity."

And bingo, you had the vulnerability spot. "And what was that experience like?" 

"Well it was a forty-five year old guy. You tell me what you think that's like." Fuck that. He was allowed to be bitter. He was just a stupid, naive child. He didn't know what the hell he was doing. He'd grown up since then.

Augusta would think that was painful. Physically and mentally. "It's not my job to imagine what that's like, Atticus. And if you don't want to go further, you don't have to." It was her job just to listen, not to judge or even heal. But to listen to help them heal. That's what happened when she attended a self-help psychology class. 

He was getting sick of people calling him Atticus, but he wasn't going to spend all of his free time correcting them, so he'd just have to deal with it. "Sorry, am I being an ass? I do that a lot. It's just...I don't ever talk about these things. I guess I expected a response. I'll be a better patient now."

"Just be yourself," Augusta shifted in her seat, wishing she had her notebook and pen but she decided to respect Atticus and not record all of her thoughts and his problems. "Let's talk about your name." 

He literally laughed out loud. "Atticus. It's funny isn't it? About five years ago - after reading 'To Kill A Mockingbird' I realized how anti-me it was. Rory had called me Dodger since I was little, so I guess it just sort of transferred from there. No one over there calls me Atticus anymore. Well, one girl, but she does it to bother me."

"Dodger? Like Jess?" Augusta blinked. Never mind. That wasn't important. "Who's the girl? In the general scheme of things and your life."

"Dominique?" his expression turned from amusement to a bitter smile. "The girl. The obsession. The one I lost love over. At least I thought it was love. She's constantly telling me that it wasn't." Girls were so damn confusing. They all wanted something different, if just one of them could actually be decisive, maybe a guy would stand a chance.

She sounded like Lola. "So what's your relationship like now?" 

"With Dominique? Non-existent. To quote her, 'It was just sex Atticus. You really need to accept that'. Beautiful girl, heart the size of an amoeba though." It was true. Of course, it was just his luck that he would fall for the girl that would shatter his heart and step on the pieces with 3-inch Versace heels.

"And how often does she say this?" Sounded like a classic case of defense mechanism. But, she wasn't really one to talk.

"Once. We've only slept together once. I barely knew her before last year, and even then I moved right after I became addicted. She's like a drug. And I hate it. She makes me feel like shit, but at the same time..." At the same time, being with her was the only thing that made sense in his entire life.

"And at the same time…?" Augusta prompted. This was as good as…no; this was better than Dallie and Lola. Atticus was actually telling her stuff.

"At the same time, everything is better. Everything...makes sense. Do you know what it's like to have your entire world fall down, piece by piece? And you try to fix it, but you can't? She's the one thing that makes sense. But then she doesn't, because...she doesn't want me." How was that for pitiful?

"She wants you, At-Dodger," well she was pretty sure of that. "But it sounds like she has as many issues as you do. And the wall keeps falling down and coming back up because you frighten her. Your feelings do. You represent exactly what she doesn't want in her life but needs most." She was pretty good without her notebook. "Is she related to Lo?"

He nodded, "Dominique is her aunt. She's Tristan's sister. Is it that obvious that she's a DuGrey?" He was ignoring that other part of what she had just told him. It couldn't be true, could it? "Why would she deny herself that?"

"Well that seems to be the DuGreys way of dealing with falling in love. They don't want it, so they ignore it until it goes away. And then they get all annoyed when it's still there," Augusta replied. She was betraying a trust. But this was a whole dimensional circumstance. "Look, I'm pulling out what I know from my experience with Lola. But love seems to be the last thing these girls want. It would make them human. That's why they deny it. Which makes them stupid." It made her stupid too, but she wasn't dealing with herself right now. 

"So what do I do? Where do I go from here?" God, he just quoted Buffy again. "How is it that this isn't even the biggest problem in my life?"

"Because life's not fair like that," Augusta replied, leaning back in her desk chair. She would have gone on except her door had opened up, and she looked at the intruder and groaned. Just what she needed. 

"Who's he?" Well Fin had never been one to be subtle or…even tactful.

"Knock." That's all she said in reply. Well, knocking would have been nice.

There was a tall, dark guy standing at the door, and judging by Augusta's annoyance at his entrance, he was her point of denial. "Being stupid yourself, sister dearest?" And the smirk followed.

Augusta glared at him. "Not in the same way." She blew out a frustrated breath. "Not at all."   
  
Fin arched an eyebrow. "Sister?"   
  
Oh, of course he'd have to pick that out of everything. "Not…Dodger?" 

"Technically, yes. But I don't think the explanation would make much sense to anyone who didn't want to believe it was possible." He closed his mouth and opened it again. "And don't think I believe you."

"Try me," Fin crossed his arms across his chest. "I come from a heritage that believes in Selkies and leprechauns, you'd be amazed what the Irish believe is possible."

No one challenged Augusta Mariano, even when she knew she was being manipulated. "He's my father's son from another dimension."

Atticus looked at the ridiculous expression that now had placed itself on Fin's face. And nodded to justify what Augusta had just told him.

"And you- _you_ believe this?" Fin asked, it didn't seem to exactly fit the logical person he'd come to know.

Well… "I'm pretending to." She paused. "But I'm not sure if I've passed the point of believing or not yet. The line is so very blurred."

Atticus let a laugh escape him, "Come on Augusta, I couldn't make up that shitty of a life if I tried." He eyed the tall Irishman, wondering exactly what his association was to his sister.

"I'm sorry, did you met Lola?" Augusta replied, "She's proven that you can make up anything."  She turned her attention back to Fin. "And you, you should knock."

Fin shouldn't say this, but usually words fell from his mouth whether or not he wanted them to. "You have no idea how much you sound like your mother right there." 

Uh-oh. Atticus still wasn't sure of their affiliation, but he guessed that if they were close in the least, the guy would be lucky if he was allowed children in the future. Of course, that could have also depended on whether Augusta wanted him to have children in the future. Atticus inwardly smacked himself in the face, when did he become perceptive? Or pay any attention at all for that matter?

"Then it's a good thing I don't have mother issues," She put the palm of her hand on his hand and pushed him out the door. "Now either wait until I'm done or leave. I'm in the middle of a session."  Augusta loved saying that. Then she shut the door and locked it. Which she probably should have done in the first place.

Great. Back to digging up dead issues. Even if the problems were simply buried alive. Probing upwards, always trying to force themselves back up. He lay back down on the couch and raised his eyebrows.  "What else do you want me to talk about?"

"Well, we were talking about Dominique," Augusta reminded him as she sat back down in her chair. "But we could move onto something else if you'd like."

"Huh. Like the fact that my father left me before he even knew my name. I was born to be like this; miserable. The person responsible for my creation couldn't even love me."

She hadn't gone through the same exact thing as him, but she could sympathize. Augusta could still remember nights she had laid awake, listening to her parent's voices, straining to keep their voices at a whisper, before her mother would stomp up the stairs, and her father out the door. Again. And he wouldn't say good-bye, and he'd rarely call, and the only thing he'd write was a quick scrawl on the back of the postcard. She had wondered what she had done wrong to make him keep leaving, to stay away for so long. Why he didn't care enough to stay home.

"Jess sucks at love," Augusta told him simply. "What about Rory?"

Rory. The name was sweet and innocent, not that of a girl whoa would get knocked up in the backseat of some town bad-boy's car. Not that he knew the details of his conception, just that Luke had monitored them closely at all times so that none of the above would occur. Although apparently fate was fate and here he was. "Rory is a good mother." the words were blank, he said them, and knew they were true. But nothing about them made him want to put anything behind them, not the slightest trace of emotion.

"You say that just like Lola does," she pointed out. The same matter-of-factness, and you knew they meant it. But it still didn't effect their actions a bit. 

"Well I guess Lola and I are just one and the same." he added sarcastically. Why was he doing this? He didn't want to be understood in the first place. "You want more? The only time I ever thought I loved anything it got taken away from me because I'm led around by my dick."

"What guy isn't?" It was comforting to know that her brother knew a little bit about psychology, because that was just too obviously 1980's textbook.

"Still. It isn't an actual excuse." he paused, "I have a thing for one-night stands. Although often they're in the middle of the day." he looked puzzled as he said it.

Augusta tried not to look amused as she asked, "Why do you think that is?" 

"Perhaps I have problems with commitment. I'd ask you your opinion but you haven't been very forthcoming." he said it with a touch of annoyance but he wasn't really that annoyed. Just a little angry at the fact that she kept asking questions but giving little insight.

Which meant that she should give her opinion. Right. "Well, maybe you're avoiding the same entanglements of your father. Perhaps you understand that you can't deny yourself the basic desires, your body- and perhaps soul- crave. So instead of sticking with one girl past the point of orgasm, you jump from bed to bed. So that when you leave, you don't have to feel the guilt of leaving behind a broken soul. Like Jess did." 

Well, that was definitely insight. At first the words stung and were strange but as they slowly seeped into his brain, into his thoughts, he realized that she might be right. And he hated that, but at least he'd figured something out. "So I use sex to protect myself from love?"

"No, you use sex to protect yourself from feeling responsible."

He shrugged, "Responsibility has never really been my thing."

It had never been their father's thing either, but she refrained from saying it since Atticus might not appreciate her pointing it out. "How self aware of you."

He smirked, raising an eyebrow "Why thank you. I always knew I was deep, now if only i could get Taylor to stop calling me 'you!kid!'"

Augusta snorted, "Oh he'll never get over that."

"He never does get over anything. They all think I'm my father in that town. They blame me for ruining Rory's life, and they take the anger that they have for Jess out on me, for stealing Rory's innocence." He shook his head, to tell the truth he could care less what they thought of him, but it was something to talk about, maybe there was something more within it.

"It's projection. They can't take it out on the person responsible, so they blame the next best thing," Augusta noted out loud. "Stars Hollow can be a very judgmental place."

"Apparently. The girls like me though." he was smirking once again.

Augusta's eyes rolled upward. "I have no doubt that you're related to Lola."

At the mention of his "sister's" name he sat up a little straighter, he wondered where the hell she was. "I wonder how she's coping with this little tear in the seam of reality."

"That's a very interesting pondering," Augusta shifted in her seat, wishing it were possible to be in two realities at once. "But there's a phone over there if you want to try and play amateur psychologist and piss her off." She motioned the phone on her desk.

He gave her a cocky look and stood up, striding over to the phone and then picked it up. The look however dropped from his face and he asked her lamely, "Uh, what's her number again?" So he was fine with words, but numbers were beyond him. So? Nobody was perfect. He laughed to himself, okay, he definitely wasn't perfect, forget simply numbers.

She bit her lip, attempting to hide her amusement. "It's number six on speed dial." 

He mumbled a thank you and bent over to press down the number awkwardly. Funny, add two more 6's and you'd pretty much have Lola pinned. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Hello Mariano," Lola answered, as she sat down in the nearest seat. Greeting one by that last name was safe. There was a good chance that it was one of them. 

"Lo-la. How are you doing in that big bad world?" he smiled, he could almost get used to living in this one, maybe she'd be okay with switching?

Well, if he was going to use that tone of voice, "Better than your car."

The half-smile playing on his lips immediately vanished, his voice getting deeper, "What did you do?"

Lola couldn't help if her lips twisted into a curl at the slight panic in his voice. Something about torturing her brother was so enjoyable. "It's more what the other car did yours, than what I personally did to it." 

"What did you do." The fear was edging out of his voice and quickly turning into annoyance. She was amused. That was great, at least that meant it couldn't have been that bad.

She wondered if this next tidbit would be amusing. It wouldn't hurt to leak, "Maybe you should ask your friend Tyler."

He winced at the sound of her name; he hadn't wanted Lola to know about her. Tyler was his secret, even if people knew about her. She wasn't his rock, she was his safe place. Maybe that's why he lost her, because he'd just used her as that. "So what was it? A fender bender? I guess I shouldn't have assumed you could safely drive a Jeep, seeing how it's beneath you and all."

"As opposed to the things that are beneath you," Lola said, rather than answering his question. "Really, Atty, who knew you had such horrible taste in women? You were showing such potential with Dominique too." 

"Lola if there's one place we're not going to go right now, it's there so just skip it and tell me what's going on." Now he was angry, no longer concerned with anything else other than figuring out how to get Lola out of his life.

Contrary to popular belief, Lola wasn't so much of a bitch that she would push past a clearly drawn limit. "Your car's fine, for the most part. But take a few hundred out of my bank account, so you can make the_ minor _repairs." She even made sure to emphasize the word 'minor'. Wasn't that nice of her? 

"Yeah. Okay," he said idly, Lola said a few hundred the same way he talked about slices of bread. Oh the difference a day could make. "Where are you anyway? With Dom?"

"Sort of," she glanced over at the unfamiliar staircase. "She thought of someone that might be able to help us. Tobey, or something to that effect. So we're at his house. And she's up stairs retrieving him."

"Tobey?" he asked the question out loud before he could even register it himself. She knew that he and Dominique were casual friends but to go to him now? But wait, none of Dominique's friends were intelligent enough to understand this concept, and as Atticus remembered that Tobey was at the top of their class, the pieces began to fit together. "So you haven't met him yet? He's a pretty good guy. My closest friend, so don't be a bitch." God, he really needed to shut up. He hated that he was talking when there was no actual reason he had to be.

"I can be nice when I want to be," this was said in a pout, but then she lowered her voice to a more seductive quality. "Very nice, indeed." 

He rolled his eyes, yes, all girls like Lola could be "nice" whenever they wanted, he knew the drill. "Do whatever, just don't fuck up my life please."

"Same to you," Lola replied, her eyes drifting over to the staircase again. "Where are you calling from?"

"I'm in Augusta's office, actually. We were just discussing you so I thought I'd give you a call." he smiled, not knowing whether this would increase or deflate her ego. From what he knew of Lola, it would probably be the former.

A giggle escaped her lips, "You got suckered into a session?" Then, "About me? Why talk? Aggie's got tons of files on me."

"It was nothing important." he shrugged it off, trying to leave her with no real conclusions, "And I did not get 'suckered in', I volunteered, it was a tradeoff."

"For?"

"Her help, getting back." it was that simple. He sighed, no he also wanted some unbiased advice, not that he'd ever admit it to anyone.

"And you decided to call me?" If she put her mind to it, Lola was sure she'd be a more tenacious interrogator than Augusta. But since she didn't care about other people's problems, she'd probably suck at that portion of being a psychiatrist. 

"I wanted to see if you'd gotten anywhere, but the answer to that is apparently 'no'." he sighed, "Are Dom and Tobey downstairs yet?" Knowing Dominique she was probably already on her back, and best friend or not, no one had that kind of resistance.

Lola paused and listened. There were footsteps. "They're coming." She couldn't help but smirk at that. Let him interpret that, as he will.

"Thank you for the imagery." He smiled; it was so nice to know that innuendo was genetic.

"Always happy to oblige," Lola answered, standing up. "However, I should go. Don't take over 900." 

"Wouldn't dream of it." Nine hundred dollars. 'Huh', he sighed, And some things definitely weren't genetic.

"You would if you hadn't been raised by Rory," she returned. "Bye, Atty." 

"Bye Lo." he hung up the phone. Stopping to stare back at it, and suddenly wondering if Lola's bank account what exactly Lola would do while she was ever-so-patiently waiting to leave his reality. Or moreover, who.

To Be Continued… 


	6. Chapter Six

            Lola was getting used to having a brother. Which was weird, because most of the time she had known about him, it seemed, had been spent in separate realities. But she had come to expect, and didn't even mind, his phone calls. It'd be nice to know if it worked for out going calls as well, but she wasn't about to try and screw anything up. Even still, it was a change. She had never waited for a guy to call. Even if he just happened to be her brother. She tucked her cell phone back into her pocket, as the steps of Dominique and whatever his name was again, neared. 

            Dominique had to admit that of all the guys in Chilton she could stand being around very few for extended periods of time. Included on this list was Tobey Hart, he was the rare multi-tasker that throughout his career at Chilton had done everything from student council to football to debate team. And even still he was a decent guy whom it seemed like anyone could talk to. Even with Atticus' personality being as...different as it was they still managed to forge a close relationship. Sometimes Dominique wondered how he managed to balance everything and still seem so levelheaded all the time.

            There was to be a joke made out of this, a rather cheap one. But a joke, nonetheless. Lola was thinking this as the two walked into the room. It'd be something lame like, 'How many blondes does it take to solve a multi-dimensional problem?' But something a little bit more funny. She had always sucked at comedy. The second thought that occurred to her was that what Atticus lacked in taste where women were concerned, he definitely made up in friends. She stepped forward. "Hey."

            Dominique had been muttering from the time she entered the room and as she was not yet flustered she had been rambling on and on about something to do with inter-dimensional somethings and some girl that was related to Atticus and herself but when he stepped into the room it became absolutely apparent that there was way more of Dom in her than his best friend. She was blond, and, well..."Hello." he half-smiled at her. His father had trained that smile on him when he was younger, his mother used to say that when he smiled like that, he could get anything he wanted. Perhaps today it was more a case of 'whom'.

            Lola knew all sorts of seduction maneuvers and techniques, but that didn't make her as immune to them as people would believe. Even she felt herself melt slightly at the sight of that half smile. She returned with one of her own. "I gather Dominique filled you in on everything. If not, however, I'm Lola." 

Lola, wow. "Lola, I'm Tobey Hart." he said, reaching out his hand. He paused, his brow creasing, "We're not related are we?"

"There's no Harts in my family tree, that I can recall." It was something she rather thankful at the moment too. 

He broke into a grin; "Well that's a relief." he turned to Dominique, then back to Lola "So what exactly can I help you ladies with?"

"Well," Lola tilted her head to the side; she wasn't sure how much Dominique had told him. And there was no need to scare him off so early, if she had left him in the dark. "How much do you know about science?"

"Which aspect of science?" He knew a few things about women, that was for sure, and if he wanted a shot with the one standing in front of him leering and asking if she meant 'biology' or 'chemistry' wouldn't exactly have been the way to her heart. Plus, he didn't want to brag about the fact that he had won the state Science Fair last year, he wasn't exactly proud of the fact that he was a science geek, even if he was everything else at the same time.

"Um," she looked over at Dominique, who just shrugged her shoulder. Right. "More…Fuck. It's one of the geekiest things you can get too. Maybe, physics?" 

"Like, motion and that or transfer of energy?" That wasn't that bad, "Or do you mean sci-fi type stuff?" He still didn't really understand what they needed help with. Dominique was coherent at best when she was trying to ask for a favour and this one sounded like it was beyond her.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Lola would have looked over at Dominique again, but it was obvious that she was going to be no help. Plus the amateur scientist was much more pleasing to look at anyway. 

She wasn't staring, but she was doing the DuGrey equivalent of it - sexy eye contact. Apparently Lola had found herself a distraction while she was here in 2021, Dominique just hoped that Atticus wouldn't get too upset when he found out that his best friend had been nailing his sister.

"Um, well why don't you explain the whole...issue to me and then we can see what we can...do something." he paused, then added, "About it." with another teeth-baring smile.

This was so much easier to explain with Atticus around. "Well," she paused, resisting the urge to purse her lips. It'd probably be best to bring Atticus in it at least. "You know- you're friends with Atticus, right?" If it were up to her, she'd go straight to the seducing, and skip the explaining. But this was more important than sex, she supposed. For now, at least. 

"Mariano?" he looked momentarily confused, "Yeah, we're friends, really good friends actually. Why? What's up?"

Oh right, she had forgotten that her brother insisted on that silly Dodger nickname. "Well," Lola really should stop saying that word. "Me and Atticus…" she had never fumbled so much with words before. "Atticus is in another reality. My reality. I'm in this reality. His reality. It's weird."

"Reality?" okay, this was confusing. "You're from another reality?"

"Well it's what we assume, considering Atticus doesn't exist where I come from, and I didn't exist in this one until I somehow ended up in the Gilmore-Mariano kitchen," Lola answered slowly. "But if you want to prove us wrong, go ahead. But if you want further proof, all I can offer is my driver's license." 

He took said license, not because of disbelief, more because he was interested in who this girl was. "So Dodge is in your world? How do you know?" This was peculiar. Oh, and the word 'DuGrey' splashed across her licensed explained the stunning likenesses between Lola and Dominique.

"That's the freaky-freakier thing," she licked her lips, and it was one of the few times where it was an awkward gesture and not a seduction tactic. "He can call my cell phone."

"Right." He furrowed his brow, which he knew made his forehead crease and his hair drop over his eyes, but he wasn't trying to be vain at the moment. "Can you call him? I'd like a word."

"We're not sure," but she got out her cell phone all the same. She pressed the number for the Mariano's, and waited as it rang.

The phone was ringing. Atticus looked expectantly at Augusta from where he was comfortably seated and attempting to continue their discussion.

Augusta sighed and reached over and picked up her phone. "Hello?"  
  


Lola blinked, okay so it had worked. "Aggie? Can I talk to Atticus?"  
  
            "Okay," Augusta didn't believe she'd ever get use to the idea of two separate realities. But still she held the phone out for Atticus. "It's for you."

It was more than obvious who was on the phone, so he skipped his traditional greeting and went straight to "Lola. What can i do for you?"

"It's more like what you can do," she looked over at her brother's friend. "For Tobey, here." 

"What's up?" Atticus' reply was quick and to the point, apparently he had aquainted himself with the telephone since the inter-dimensional occurance had...occured. 

"You're using a phone like it's normal."

"Well if you can't beat 'em, uh, talk between realities."

"Right. So, you are actually..."

"In another dimension, I'm afraid so."

"You would have to be if you're talking this much."

"Why thank you."

"Okay, so now that i know this much is true we'll keep the lines of contact open while I try to figure out how to get you back. And get your sister back." Tobey turned and looked at the blond behind him. On second thought, maybe he wouldn't get started right away. 

"Ah, Lola's a gem isn't she?"

"I had a few other terms in mind, but drop the sarcasm and that just might describe her."

"She's opal dude. I know what they can be like. Bad news."

"You just don't want me getting more action than you. How is it over there anyway?" he asked his interest peaking.

"Well if you're talking the way i think you're talking it's fairly incestuous."

"What a treat."

"Oh yes. I'll talk to you soon, hopefully."

"Okay. Don't get killed, or kill any of your morals. If you think it's wrong - just say no."

They laughed, and both hung up, they were a reality away, and felt a distance apart.

Lola took the cell phone back. She had gotten the gist of their conversation, but it wasn't anything shocking. "Well?"

"He's alive." he grinned at Lola, "and, he's in another dimension." he shrugged and looked at Dominique who simply shrugged back with disinterest.

"The first is unfortunate," Lola mused. "However, nothing we didn't already know. So do you think you know that kind of science?"

"I could try." he smiled and inched closer, "I've always been a fast learner. Are you any good with science? We could go check out my dad's library, see what we can find." he said gesturing down the hall.

Lola followed him as fast as her Jimmy Choo's would allow her. "I'm better at science than most in a public school." 

"Well that's nice to hear." he said striding down the corridor, "Dominique," he said, his head tilted up, waiting for a reply.

"Yes Tobey?" she said with mock-awe.

"Since I'm assuming you're not on the science wavelength why don't you go out for a while and meet us back here in a couple hours."

Her smile widened, "Is that all the time you need?"

His pace picked up once again, "It doesn't take me quite as long as some to figure out how to get what I want."

It had been awhile since Lola had played the seduced. But it was acceptable, since this was a different reality, and why not play with your identity while you were there? There was no one around the corner ready to jump out and accuse you of being different from who you once were. "And where are we beginning?"

"I was thinking, there's usually a portal of some kind that houses the tear, where exactly did you appear and disappear from?"

"I was in my room at my mother's house, and I ended up in Atty's kitchen," Lola answered, "And Atticus went from his bathroom to…my room, I think."

"So you don't always live with your mother?" He said, as interested as he was as getting his best friend back, he wasn't quite as interested as he was in this girl.

She shook her head; her blonde locks swishing against her back. "I rarely live with my mother. My main residence is with my father- in Hartford."

"Hartford." he nodded. "You like living in Hartford?" he seated himself in a large leather armchair that was seated opposite to an identical one.

Lola slid onto the arm of his chair, opting not to sit in her own. And she let her shoes slide off her feet and onto the floor. She leaned in as if imparting some secret and said to him, "It's better than Stars Hollow."

He leaned back, his head tilting to look at her in the eyes. "I like Stars Hollow, it's...eccentric. I like things that aren't quite as they should be." his voice was in the stage above a whisper, but not quite at normal level. He wasn't quite sure why it had dropped in sound level, but he was pretty sure it had to do with the barefoot blond leaning over him.

"Maybe that's it," she murmured, turning in her seat so that her legs draped across his lap, and her feet were up against the other arm of the chair. 

He leaned up a little more, "Maybe" he murmured, pushing the thought that she was probably completely correct about her Stars Hollow theory out of his mind, all he wanted to do was touch her. Everywhere. One of his hands lifted itself to the top of her head and slid down the back, smoothing its way to her neck. His eyes opened and he looked up at her, his hand still in place.

Lola slid down the short length from the arm of the chair to his lap, the skirt of her dress rising an inch or two as she did so. Her toes pushed into the soft leather of the chair, as they slid up, to accommodate her level of comfort. There was nothing like the feeling of cool leather against bare skin, except of course…she leaned in until they were blue eyes to blue eyes. Mouth to mouth.

He increased the pressure of the kiss by pushing her towards him with the hand that was still loosely placed on her neck. His other hand then roamed its way down her face, following her jaw line, down to her collarbone, and sliding over her chest gently. His tongue grazed her lips, and then searched for her own. He then removed both his hands from their positions and grabbed her hips, pulling her even closer to him, their bodies moving against each other in an attempt to fit together.

Lola's knees sank into leather, as their hips rolled together in a preview of what was to come. Her hands slipped up and under his soft sweater, and she felt along the lean muscles that must have come from the football Atticus said Tobey played. Muscles, were definitely a good thing. She broke their contact to pull his sweater off him, and toss it carelessly off to the side. She studied him under her eyelashes for a long moment. The muscles looked even better on him than they had felt.

He grabbed her around the hips again and pushed her off, but carefully reconnected their lips. He then retracted to look into her eyes as he slid his hands up the skirt of her dress and slid the silk thong down her legs. He then lifted her feet and discarded the garment to the side, and pulled her back on top of him, their bodies melting into each others as they found the other's lips once again.

To Be Continued… 


End file.
